UPDATED: Huss loses appeal, RB Moore’s suspension upheld

By Phillip Gardner

Published: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at 11:43 AM.

“The official was steadfast in his belief that he got the call correct,” Dreibelbis said.

Dreibelbis said he also made the video available to an outside representative with collegiate and professional officiating experience. That unnamed person also saw nothing in the video that would justify overturning the initial ruling, Dreibelbis said.

“The problem is not that he ran over the young man,” Dreibelbis said. “The emphasis … is that you cannot initiate contact with the crown or top of the helmet.”

The play happened with 3:28 remaining and Hunter Huss trailing 28-14. The touchdown was nullified, Hunter Huss was penalized 15 yards from the 1 and the Huskies wound up losing 28-14.

Moore, a senior listed at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, had rushed for 2,607 yards in three varsity seasons entering this season. He was named Big South Conference special teams player of the year last season. Moore committed to Duke in May and said last week the commitment still stands even though recruiting services say the two have parted ways. Moore also picked up an offer from Appalachian State within the last few weeks.

“Over the last three years, he hasn’t done anything but work hard to become the player he is now and he’s penalized basically for being bigger and stronger,” Gardner said.

Moore was ejected from last week’s game at Kings Mountain for flagrant contact when he ran over a defender while carrying the ball on his way into the end zone. The official who threw the flag said Moore lowered his head and led with the crown of his helmet, but Huss head coach and athletic director Steve Gardner disagreed with the ruling.

NCHSAA officials supervisor Mark Dreibelbis responded to the appeal Wednesday morning and upheld the initial ruling after he and two others viewed video of the play from three vantage points as provided by Hunter Huss and Kings Mountain.

“He felt like he put his helmet down and lunged at him,” Gardner said. “I’m not seeing what they’re seeing.”

Moore will be able to return for the Sept. 6 game at Bessemer City.

After receiving the video clips, Dreibelbis made them available to the unnamed official who threw the flag and then had a discussion with the official after both had watched the play.

“The official was steadfast in his belief that he got the call correct,” Dreibelbis said.

Dreibelbis said he also made the video available to an outside representative with collegiate and professional officiating experience. That unnamed person also saw nothing in the video that would justify overturning the initial ruling, Dreibelbis said.

“The problem is not that he ran over the young man,” Dreibelbis said. “The emphasis … is that you cannot initiate contact with the crown or top of the helmet.”

The play happened with 3:28 remaining and Hunter Huss trailing 28-14. The touchdown was nullified, Hunter Huss was penalized 15 yards from the 1 and the Huskies wound up losing 28-14.

Moore, a senior listed at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, had rushed for 2,607 yards in three varsity seasons entering this season. He was named Big South Conference special teams player of the year last season. Moore committed to Duke in May and said last week the commitment still stands even though recruiting services say the two have parted ways. Moore also picked up an offer from Appalachian State within the last few weeks.

“Over the last three years, he hasn’t done anything but work hard to become the player he is now and he’s penalized basically for being bigger and stronger,” Gardner said.

Gardner broke the news to Moore Wednesday morning.

“It isn’t fair at all, but it isn’t stopping me from being happy,” Moore said.

This was the first time in Gardner’s 17 years as head coach that he’s appealed a ruling, he said. Gardner can’t understand how the three people involved in the NCHSAA decision could all agree with the original ruling considering the feedback he’s received locally.

“From Saturday to today, I’ve talked to 20 different football officials and not one of them said they would have thrown the flag,” Gardner said.

Online comments about the issue mostly favored Moore after video of the play was published at gastongazette.com.

“They really need to fix the horrible officiating,” Scott Kagen wrote on Facebook. “I watched the film and there is no evidence of flagrant foul.”

“Now just what was he supposed to do? Ask the kid to ‘please move out of my way?’ wrote Jennifer Davis, former Gaston County school board chairman.

Even the player Moore ran over, Kings Mountain freshman Jake Merchant, doesn’t think Moore should be required to sit out a game.

“My thought on that play is it was helmet to helmet, and it deserved a flag but I don’t know about an ejection from the game,” Merchant wrote Tuesday on the Gazette’s sports Facebook page. “For the past few days I’ve watched comments on twitter and Facebook about people’s comments on the play. Kerrion is probably one of the best running backs around and taking away from him one of his games is a decision I disagree with.”

Treondez Clinton, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound junior, will take Moore’s place at running back. Maurice Smith, a 5-foot-4, 135-pound junior, will start for Moore at cornerback.

“We’re just going to have to step up,” quarterback Andrew Jordan said.

Burns enters Friday’s game with a 1-0 record after beating Ashbrook 29-24 in last week’s opener. Friday will mark the first time since 1996 Hunter Huss and Burns have met. Gardner, a 1976 Burns graduate, will be facing his alma mater as head coach for the first time.